Greater Portland Inc recruits local economic development professional to lead Greater Portland 2020

July 10,2017 | By Adam Newman

Lloyd Purdy previously served as economic development manager for the City of Tigard

Greater Portland Inc (GPI), the region’s economic development organization, has recruited local economic development professional Lloyd Purdy as vice president of regional competitiveness to lead an action oriented, region-wide strategy focused on shared economic prosperity for all residents.

At Greater Portland Inc Purdy will lead the implementation of Greater Portland 2020, the five-year comprehensive economic development strategy that aligns business, education and civic leaders around regional economic priorities. This framework focuses on three core strategies: 1.) People: Recruit, develop and advance the region’s talent, 2.) Business: Grow business and pioneer innovation, and 3.) Place: Improve infrastructure to meet the needs of people, business, and innovation.

“Lloyd brings strategic thinking, tenacity in forging partnerships, and a commitment to community,” said Janet LaBar, GPI president and CEO. “He’s up for the task of putting Greater Portland on a path to economic prosperity, and he has an earnest drive to collaborate with and lead our partners through this transformation.”

Key Greater Portland 2020 initiatives include Diversity in Leadership, created to increase the diversity of talent represented in leadership roles at firms around the region; Greater Portland Global, designed to increase trade and attract foreign investment; and supporting regional initiatives from partners such as Metro and its Economic Value Atlas, and the Columbia-Willamette Workforce Collaborative and Technology Association of Oregon and their Tech Talent Strategy.

“Our region draws strength from its diversity and identity,” said Purdy. “Through partnership building we will continue to innovate, create a culture of equity, and prosper.”

Purdy was previously the economic development manager for the City of Tigard. There he created and led an economic development program that included securing more than $8 million in federal, state, and developer funding for key infrastructure projects. He was also the founding director of Oregon City’s downtown development program, and is credited with spurring a renaissance in that historic district.